The fall is a great time to take a walk. Here at the beach the intense humidity and 90 degree days are now past. A fresh breeze blows off the ocean and the temperature is typically in the mid 70’s during the day. This truly is one of my favorite times of the year to walk the beach.
While you may not live near a beach, chances are there is somewhere in your area that is special in the fall: perhaps a nice park or a wooded path. No matter where you are located, the fall is definitely a good time to start a walking program. Even if you only walk around the neighborhood after dinner, a nice walk is a step in the right direction.
The trick is to get up off the couch and do something, anything at all. Walking can be a great way to start a health training program. You may think that walking does not sound like much: it’s walking, humans are built to walk… what’s the big deal? We have all been walking since we were toddlers, so how can it be much of a training program?
If this is your opinion of using walking as an exercise, then you may be surprised to find out that walking is actually healthier for you than either running or jogging. Walking causes far less impact to joints. It has also been known to help prevent colon cancer, heart disease, diabetes and even breast cancer. Plus, you can still hear the music over your breath without ear damage!
As a first step, find a comfortable pair of shoes. When walking several miles or more, your feet will typically swell, so purchasing shoes that are a bit bigger than you normally wear is worth consideration. Some stores will allow you to try the shoes out and return them if they don’t work for you. You will also want to find lightweight shoes. This will make a difference on longer walks where you will certainly notice the added weight of heavy shoes.
Once you have the proper equipment, it is a good idea to consult a physician if you are over 65 or have been mostly sedentary for a year or more. Once you get the doctor’s approval, then you need to figure out what is best for you.
You do not need to attempt any distance or record speeds. What is important is that you develop a routine that you can stick with and find someone to help you maintain that program. Perhaps your spouse or child or friend would be willing to walk periodically, and you can swap up your partners for a regular routine. There are also support groups available online that can be of great help for motivation and advice.
Habits are both hard to break and hard to start. If you wish to lose weight, chances are you simply have developed negative habits that you need to replace with healthy habits. Walking is a great habit, even if you only do it for 15 minutes each day. A big problem with developing new habits is that you jump into something and then you burn out. To avoid burn-out, you need to provide yourself with a routine that gives you a rest every few days. A good idea is to do three days, then rest one day and start over. The thing that can be tricky is that taking a day off, especially in the beginning, makes it difficult to get restarted. Be determined not to find excuses to not walk. Plan to hear your initial excuses and find ways to defeat them before they convince you to stop, or even not start.
After you have developed the walking habit, you may find that you desire to add more. Go ahead, but remember to increase gradually. Add five minutes each week for a month as a great way to work up to a workout of 30 minutes or more. If you find that you are having difficulty completing the distance one week, then do not feel like you need to work up to more the following week. Stay with that time until you are comfortable with it.
In many parts of the country, the weather will quickly get a bit cold for walking. At that point, it may be a good idea to join a club where you have access to a treadmill. Purchasing a treadmill can also work but make sure you have a space where you can keep the treadmill set up. The likelihood you will take it out when it’s hidden in a closet or under the bed is slim in the daunting challenge of fighting motivation. Of course, you knew this, but it’s important to practice preventative statements against your internal excuses, like I said earlier.
The walking program is relatively easy, as long as you stay determined. A trick to stay dedicated is to promise yourself to do it, and to hold yourself accountable to keeping that promise. It can be about losing a certain amount of weight, walking a set distance, or doing it a certain number of times. No matter what the promise is, make sure it is feasible. Do not set your goal so high that you set yourself up for failure.
Something that may help you stay motivated in this gorgeous fall weather is to remember that the holidays are coming. Most of us tend to complain that we gain weight during the holidays, to be followed by resolutions that we never keep. If you get a head start now and become committed to a routine, then by the holiday season you will already be several steps ahead (pun intended).
About the author: Retired Air Force Master Sergeant and father of 5, Oz “The Beach walker” Shulver, lives a stone’s throw away from the sand of Myrtle Beach, SC. His passions include beach combing, golf, bikes, cooking and cavorting with his two grand children. Read more from this author
Related posts:
- Sustenance for Walking Like humans across the globe, walking and hiking are by...
